Sheriff Ozzie Knezovich, who ran the Spokane County Jail from his appointment in April 2006 through June 2013, when Spokane County commissioners assumed control, wrote the City Council to support Tyler’s appointment, citing his strong leadership skills.

“Mr. Tyler was promoted (to lieutenant) because of his unwavering commitment to excellence and integrity,” Knezovich wrote. “Phil was known for doing the right thing for the right reasons.”

Knezovich said in an interview he is aware of the lawsuit Tyler filed against Spokane County and didn’t think it would interfere with his ability to serve on the council.

Knezovich said he wasn’t aware of Tyler’s domestic violence cases from the mid-1990s. But a department background check cleared him to carry a gun, Knezovich said, which means the cases never rose to disqualifying him from law enforcement.

Despite the electioneering involved and hypocrites on the panel for the “Time’s Up Spokane Town Hall” event I really wanted to attend because of all the years I spent investigating thousands of cases where women were victims as well as because of my involvement with Lutheran Community Services North West, but after thinking long and hard about it I decided it would be best not to attend because I would have many questions and it wouldn’t be fair to victims to take up their far more important time. There are many more victims out there who really do need to set fear aside and speak up. If there ever is another event like this with an All-star Panel of Victims (They are the real All-stars!) telling their own stories, nothing will hold me back from attending.